San Bernardino County Property Search
Real estate in San Bernardino County, California, ranges from urban homes and commercial buildings in densely populated areas like the City of San Bernardino to structures in remote areas and vast regions of desert land. Information about these properties is contained in property records maintained by the county government.
Buyers, lenders, sellers, investors, and real estate owners require property documents for different reasons, including confirming ownership and legitimizing transactions. Buyers may want to check a property's mortgage, liens, and deed paperwork before purchasing it. Lenders may also use property documents to determine whether to approve a loan. Legal professionals and property owners may obtain property records to appeal tax evaluations they believe are incorrect. Additionally, regulators and land developers can use real property records to find out the approved use of a building.
San Bernardino's County Assessor-Recorder-Clerk is responsible for maintaining property records in the county as authorized under Ca. Govt. Code §§ 27279 to 27297.7. Individuals can also query the county's Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector's office for specific property records.
Are San Bernardino County Property Records Public?
Yes. The California Public Records Act (Cal. Gov. Code §§ 7920 et seq.) ensures that property records in San Bernardino County are available to the public. The Act allows individuals to request and obtain San Bernardino County Public Records from public entities. Most property records maintained by the San Bernardino Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk's Office fall into this category.
However, the Act exempts specific types of information from public access. These exemptions cover records restricted by other statutes. A public body can also limit access when it can prove that the societal advantage of withholding the information outweighs the benefit of disclosure.
For example, Ca. Health & Safety Code § 18081 prohibits disclosing the address of a floating home, commercial truck, mobile home, truck camper, or manufactured home registered with the Department of Housing and Community Development, especially if the owner requests confidentiality.
Other details that may be restricted from the public include personal information, such as Social Security numbers and personal financial data (including credit card information), documentation of property ownership changes, personal addresses in specific cases, and homeowners' exemption claims. More exemptions are outlined in Cal. Gov. Code §§ 7930.100 - 7930.215.
That said, specific entities, including the property owner, regulatory authorities, and law enforcement agencies, may have access to property information deemed confidential.
What Do San Bernardino County Property Records Contain?
Real estate records in the San Bernardino County Assessor's/Recorder's/Clerk's Office comprise various documents about properties in the county. These documents include mortgage agreements, deeds, surveys, easements, liens, and financial statements, and they typically contain the following:
- Property ownership: Property records identify a property's current owner(s). They can also show the title chain, detailing how the property changed hands over the years. Documents such as deeds, tax valuations and bills, liens, and easements display owner information. Interested individuals may have to search for specific documents and records to find ownership history.
- Legal description: This is a description of the property's boundaries and location, often using metes and bounds or other surveying metrics.
- Property value and assessments: Property records contain information about the property's assessed value for tax purposes, including any improvements made to the property. This data is typically updated annually by the county assessor.
- Assessor's Parcel Number (APN): The APN is a unique identifier assigned to each property by the county assessor's office, allowing for easy reference and tracking. It is typically displayed on almost every property document.
- Property taxes: Information on property taxes, including any outstanding taxes, tax liens, or other tax-related issues, is typically available in property records.
- Building information: If the real property is a structure, the records may contain the building's square footage, number of rooms, the year it was built, and construction materials used.
- Property size and zoning: Property records usually include information on a property's size and zoning classification. These details determine the land's use and the applicable regulatory restrictions.
- Mortgage and lien information: Property documents may contain information about encumbrances on a piece of property, such as mortgages and liens. These encumbrances can affect the property's title, ownership rights, value, and buyer sentiment.
- Sales history: Property records often include a sales history, listing purchase and sale transactions related to the property. Sales history documents also have the dates and amounts of those transactions.
- Easements and rights-of-way: Specific documents are created for easements and rights-of-way purposes. These legal documents grant specific rights to other parties to use or access portions of the property. They show the name of the property owner(s) and parties permitted to use specific amenities and parts of the property.
Where to Perform a San Bernardino County Property Lookup
Interested individuals can obtain property records from the San Bernardino Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk. They can search for these records by mail, in person, and online. The office of the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector also provides property records, such as ownership history, parcel map, and property tax information.
How to Perform a Property Owner Lookup in San Bernardino County
Individuals can find property ownership information in San Bernardino County by walking into the county recorder-clerk's location in the High Desert or San Bernardino Valley regions. The office advises interested parties to book an appointment online, as appointments are prioritized.
Alternatively, researchers can download and fill out the Copy Request Form and then mail it to:
Recorder-Clerk
222 West Hospitality Lane, 1st Floor
San Bernardino, CA 92415-0022
Interested individuals can also order public property records online through the County Recorder-Clerk's Self-Service page.
Obtaining copies of official documents attracts fees. For non-certified records, the first page (if the requester is ordering multiple pages) costs $3, and each page that follows costs $1. For certified pages, the first page costs $4, and each subsequent page costs an additional $2.
Additionally, individuals can obtain property ownership information for a San Bernardino property using the Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk's Parcel Access portal. The application features an interactive map of San Bernardino County and allows site visitors to search for basic property info by owner name or parcel number. The tool provides public information such as owner name(s), parcel type, tax status, size, district, and land type.
The Tax Collector's Property Search tool can also be used to retrieve property ownership information.
How to Find San Bernardino County Property Records Online
As mentioned above, the public can find San Bernardino property records online by accessing the County Assessor-Recorder-Clerk's Self-Service page or Parcel Access portal. However, interested parties can also access third-party sites to search for San Bernardino property records. These services offer a straightforward search process, allowing users to access property information and other public documents in one place. However, these sites usually charge a fee, which may or may not be costlier than the county's property records fee.
How to Find Property Owner by Address for Free
The San Bernardino Recorder-Clerk and Assessor's online tools do not have options to search public property records using property addresses. However, people who know the exact location of a property can use the County Assessor's interactive Parcel Access map. Once they zoom in and identify the property, they can click on it to find its owner information.
An individual can also use the Tax Collector's Property Search tool to perform a free owner lookup with an address. Entering the street number, street name, and city into the appropriate search boxes displays information about related properties. To access property owner details, one should click the relevant parcel ID and select "Owner History" on the left menu.
Some third-party agencies offering property search services also allow researchers to find ownership information using a property's address.
San Bernardino County Property Tax Lookup
The Tax Collector's Office (Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector) in San Bernardino County collects and distributes the county's property taxes. Other duties of the office include:
- Overseeing tax-delinquent property auctions (tax sales)
- Educating new property owners about paying taxes
- Managing the county's investment pool
The office also maintains physical files and provides online access to files regarding property tax bills and payments. Individuals can access the auditor's online property tax records tool with a property address, property ID, or parcel number. One can view due taxes and a paid bill history on the system. A user can also find out if a property is tax delinquent.
One of the primary reasons individuals look up property tax information is to know how much tax is owed on a piece of property. This allows owners to pay property taxes on time to avoid penalties for late or incomplete payments.
Property transactions also commonly necessitate property tax lookups. Buyers who want to account for tax expenses in their budget must check the property's tax details before proceeding with an acquisition. Sellers also use this tax information to provide a clear picture to potential buyers about the ongoing costs associated with the property.
Property tax records can assist owners in disputing a property assessment. If a homeowner believes an assessor overvalued their property (leading to higher taxes), they can use this information as part of an appeal to have their property reassessed.
Property owners can also use tax records to plan their finances, using tax relief programs to their advantage and understanding how home improvements can affect their tax bills.
How to Find San Bernardino County Property Appraiser
Real estate appraisers are professionals that estimate a property's value. These estimates play a crucial role in many real estate transactions.
Property owners, for example, may require an appraiser's services when they decide to sell their property, appeal property assessment, or refinance their home. An accurate property estimation helps owners set a fair selling price, ensures they do not borrow more than their home's worth, and reduces unnecessary (and erroneous) property tax burdens.
For buyers, an appraiser's expert opinion can prevent overpaying for a property. Moreover, lenders hire appraisers before approving a mortgage. That way, they will confirm that the property's value is equivalent to the loan amount.
Real estate investors also need appraisers to assess the value of potential investment properties, ensuring their portfolios yield profitable returns on investment.
Furthermore, attorneys and accountants often rely on appraisals when dealing with estates, divorces, or other legal proceedings where property values are pertinent. In such cases, an appraiser can provide professional reports that withstand scrutiny in the courtroom.
People interested in finding appraisers in San Bernardino can use the Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers's Search Appraisers web app. Users can narrow their searches to San Bernardino County without entering a name or license number. The search result will produce a list of licensed appraisers in the county.
Appraisers in San Bernardino County offer various services. They inspect properties, analyze relevant data (such as comparable sales), and use their expertise to determine a property's fair market value. Some appraisers also specialize in specific appraisals, such as those needed for tax assessments, legal disputes, or high-value luxury portfolios. It is important that interested individuals only hire appraisers licensed by the California Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers.
San Bernardino County Property Assessor
The San Bernardino Assessor is an elected official responsible for various crucial functions in the county's property taxation process.
The assessor's primary duty is to identify and catalog every property within San Bernardino County. This process requires locating each property, describing its characteristics, and determining its legal ownership. This detailed inventory enables subsequent assessment activities.
Following property identification, the assessor establishes an assessed value for all taxable properties. The office considers different property characteristics (location, size, and any modifications or improvements). The estimated value represents the property's taxable value, which lays the groundwork for calculating property taxes.
Once all properties have been evaluated and assessed, the assessor lists these estimated values on the assessment roll. The assessment roll is the official record of all taxable property within the county. The document serves to provide transparency and accountability in the property taxation process.
The assessor is also responsible for applying all legal exemptions to the assessed values. These exemptions, which can be based on factors like the property's use or the owner's status, can reduce a property's taxable value and lower the property tax expenses for owners.
Note that the assessor only estimates a property's value for taxation purposes. The office does not collect taxes or enforce tax regulations.
The assessor's locations and phone numbers can be obtained from the Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk's website.
